


You Only Become Batman Twice

by DCFanGuy



Category: Batman Beyond
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:54:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21916339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DCFanGuy/pseuds/DCFanGuy
Summary: As Bruce thinks of his Christmases past, his future seems to be in doubt as Terry finds himself taken prisoner by Ras and Talia Al Ghul.After the events of the TV series, Batman Beyond.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	You Only Become Batman Twice

“I told you years ago, Detective that it was never a good idea to underestimate me.”

A voice on the screen on the Bat computer in the Batcave appeared out of nowhere, surprising Bruce Wayne, who had been waiting for his protégé and successor Terry McGinnis to return home. 

It was a voice he recognised too well and when the screen showed him who it was, it was also a reminder that some ghosts don’t stay dead.

Ras Al Ghul had not been in the best of shape the last time Bruce had encountered him. In fact Ras had to use his own daughter, Talia as a vessel for his madness but this time around, it seemed that he had his old body or possible a newer version of his old body. Talia was standing beside her father, not saying a word as Bruce wondered whether she would be a help or hindrance as to what he imagined was going to happen next.

“As you can see, I have your latest ward,” Ras turned to point at a somewhat beaten, chained and gagged, Terry McGinnis with a guard tearing Terry’s Batman cowl in order to emphasise a point.

“You know what you have to do, beloved,” Talia said as though Ras finally permitted her to say a word. “If you don’t, then I’m afraid this will be the last time you see your friend.”

The screen went off and for a moment, Bruce pondered. He knew what he had to do. He knew what both Ras and Talia wanted this time around. He knew there was little in the way of a choice. He also knew that he needed help and there was one person right now who cared about Terry as much as Bruce did and would be able to help him, especially if he couldn’t. What he didn’t know is whether this person would.

Terry’s gag had been removed, draped on his neck as he tested the give in his chains. They were tight and he was going nowhere. Worse still, this was a trap he knew that Bruce was stupidly going to walk himself into with little chance of getting out.

“It’s pointless struggling,” Talia warned Terry as she kept a watchful eye on her father, who seemed to be growing impatient with Bruce’s absence.

“I wouldn’t be Batman if I didn’t try,” Terry countered, ignoring Talia’s attempts to dissuade. “It’s not too late to call this whole thing off. I mean, even fanatics like you and your father must take the day off for Christmas.”

“It’s Christmas Eve, you naive boy, not Christmas Day and not when there’s important work to be done,” Ras corrected him, before pointing out more dismissively. “And while you may be a Batman, you are not the Batman. The Dark Knight, who struck fear into the most deadly of criminals that Gotham had ever seen. You can barely keep a gang of children modelling themselves after that ridiculous clown in check. Your Master would’ve seen to it they never rose to the mediocre ranks they are now.”

“My Master as you put it, also made sure each and every one of your hair brained schemes never came to pass,” Terry retorted defiantly. “And when I get out of these chains, I’ll do the exact same, Ras. I might be a boy in your eyes but I’ve made more than enough criminals regret underestimating me.”

“You talk too much, boy,” Ras said, before indicating at Talia. “Fix that, daughter.”

“He’s never going to fall for this,” Terry tried to goad Ras. “What you’re offering him, he’s refused it countless time. He will never -,”

Before Terry could finish the sentence, Talia had gagged him again before whispering in his ear that things were probably not going to end well for him. Ras also did something that unsettled Terry as well: he smiled.

“I fear for your sake boy, that you’re about to be proven wrong.”

Terry could only watch as a shadowy figure was now being escorted into the lair by the same guard who had been watching over. With resignation, Terry could tell the figure was Bruce and now he knew he had to free himself no matter the cost in order to prevent his mentor from making the biggest mistake ever.

As Terry struggled more in his bonds, he could feel a soft hand touching his arm. He tilted his head and saw a face he hadn’t seen in a while but was happy to see.

“Shh!” Melanie Walker raised her finger to tell Terry to be quiet as she began to undo his restraints. She was halfway there when the guard spotted her and grabbed her but it was enough for Terry to yank off his gag, free his other hand and fight the guard alongside Melanie.

Talia had a look of disappointment on her face upon realising Bruce’s deception. It was disappointment as it had not surprised her that Bruce would do something like this. 

“Why does it come to this, beloved?” Talia sighed as she found herself in a dual with Bruce while Ras had decided there and then that this was the last time he was ever going to make this mistake ever again.

He had wasted too many years trying to groom Bruce Wayne as an heir and even his own daughter was failing him once again. He had planned to use the young Terry McGinnis as a sacrifice to restore Bruce’s youth and have the original Batman as his son in law, heir apparent and number on mercenary. 

Now this plan looked doomed to failure and Ras was not going to waste time to be captured and locked up in a mortal prison (as though such a one would ever hope to hold him). He gave Talia a forlorn look, hoping that she would escape before slipping away himself. 

It had taken a while before both Terry and Melanie were finally able to subdue the guard for Commissioner Gordon and her men to apprehend but Bruce had not fared as well with Talia as she left him unconscious before fleeing the scene once again. 

While waiting for Bruce to come around in the Batcave as Ace remained vigilant by the former’s side, there was an awkward conversation with Melanie and Terry that needed to be had.

“Well, this explains a lot,” Melanie smiled, clearly impressed by the wonders of the Batcave and by the way she had learned the identity of the current Batman. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

Before Terry could say anything else, Melanie gave him a kiss on the cheek and used a motorcycle to drive out of the Batcave. Terry could do little as she sped away but he did believe that she would keep his secret. 

When Bruce Wayne finally regained consciousness, the first thing he saw Terry holding two cups of hot chocolate, one of which he handed to Bruce.

“What happened?” Bruce asked, feeling his head before sipping his chocolate. 

“Let’s just say hot chocolate is a better Christmas tradition than a blood sacrifice and leave it at that,” Terry replied as he sipped his chocolate too. “Merry Christmas, Bruce.”

“And you too, Terry,” Bruce said, rising to his feet.

As the two of them walked out of the Batcave with Ace following them and headed towards the living room of Wayne Manor, Bruce thought about the many ghosts in his life and the Christmases he spent with them – Alfred, Jim, Dick, Selina, Barbara, Jason, Tim, Damien, Stephanie, Kate, Duke, Helena and so on. These were people who mattered to him. Many he lost, some he may see again and all of them who made his life better than he could ever thank them for. 

As he looked at Terry preparing a midnight snack while talking on the phone to his mother and brother, Bruce knew that not only would the legacy of the Batman live on in the streets of Neo Gotham but that a young man was making it all his own. For a Christmas present, it was one of the best he had gotten.

\---- The End ----


End file.
